Excepted Service Appointments
OPM Excepted Service Appointment Authorities
The Office of Personnel Management has authorized agencies to use several hiring flexibilities to fill special jobs or to fill any job in unusual or special circumstances. These excepted service authorities enable agencies to hire when it is not feasible or not practical to use traditional competitive hiring procedures, and can streamline hiring. FDA is committed to supporting the hiring of persons with disabilities and veterans.
If you meet the requirements of the appointment and the minimum requirements of the job you are applying for, you can be non-competitively appointed with certain conditions. If you believe you should be considered for an Excepted Service Appointment, please send an e-mail with your resume/CV and supporting documentation to ORAJobs@fda.hhs.gov with “Excepted Service Appointment Candidate” in the subject line. Please be sure to indicate which position(s) you would like to be considered for.
Resumes will be evaluated and a response will be provided by ORA Staff after consultation with the FDA Office of Human Resources.
Excepted Service Appointment Types
- Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA)
- Schedule A - Persons with Severe Physical or Mental Disabilities
- Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA)
- Temporary or Term Appointment of 30% or More Disabled Veterans
- Former Peace Corps Volunteers
- Former Peace Corps Employees
- Military Spouses
Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA)
The VEOA allows veterans' preference eligibles and other veterans who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions to apply and be considered for certain vacancies that are otherwise open only to status or reinstatement-eligible applicants outside of DOL.
To be eligible under VEOA, you must be one of the following:
- A veterans' preference eligible; or
- A veteran who was separated from the armed forces after substantially completing three or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions.
To claim eligibility under VEOA, you must submit the following documentation with your application:
- A copy of your DD-214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," preferably the Member 4 copy, showing the dates of active duty, type of discharge, and character of service.
- If you are claiming eligibility based on 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit a Standard Form 15 (SF-15), "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference."
- If you are claiming eligibility based on disabled veteran status, you must submit a copy of a letter from the Department of Veterans' Affairs certifying as to the presence of service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of disability.
Schedule A - Persons with Severe Physical or Mental Disabilities
Under this authority, a person with severe physical or mental disabilities may be appointed without competition to an excepted service position on a temporary or non-temporary basis. Upon completion of two years of satisfactory service under a non-temporary Schedule A appointment, the appointee may be converted to a permanent appointment in the competitive service. *** Please note: This authority cannot be used for Pathways positions.
To be eligible for consideration under this authority, you must submit the following documentation with your application:
- Proof of disability (i.e., a record, statement, or other appropriate documentation confirming a severe physical, mental, or psychiatric disability) issued by a licensed medical professional, a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist, or any Federal or State agency that issues or provides disability benefits.
- Completed SF-256 Self-Identification of Disability
Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA)
Under VRA, an agency may hire eligible veterans without competition up to the GS-11 grade level. Upon satisfactory completion of two years of service in a VRA appointment, the appointee must be converted to a permanent appointment in the Federal competitive appointment.
To be eligible for a VRA appointment, you must have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions and be one of the following:
- A disabled veteran; or
- In receipt of a campaign badge for service during a war or in a campaign or expedition; or
- In receipt of an Armed Forces Service Medal for participation in a military operation; or
- A recently-separated veteran (i.e., who was separated within the last three years).
To claim eligibility for a VRA appointment, you must submit the following documentation with your application:
- A copy of your DD-214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," preferably the Member 4 copy, showing the dates of active duty, type of discharge, and character of service.
- If you are claiming eligibility based on disabled veteran status, you must submit a copy of a letter from the Department of Veterans' Affairs certifying that you have a current, service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of disability.
Temporary or Term Appointment of 30% or More Disabled Veterans
Under this authority, an agency may appoint, without competition, an eligible disabled veteran to a term or temporary appointment in the Federal service. In appropriate circumstances, a person receiving a temporary or term appointment under this authority may be converted to a permanent competitive service appointment.
To be eligible for appointment under this authority, you must be a veteran who is either:
- Retired from active military service with a disability rating of 30 percent or more; or
- Rated by the Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) as having a compensable, service-connected disability of 30 percent or more.
To claim eligibility for appointment under this authority, you must submit the following documentation with your application:
- A copy of your DD-214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," preferably the Member 4 copy, showing the dates of active duty, type of discharge or release, and character of service, and/or other official document showing that you retired from active military service with a disability of 30 percent or more; or
- A letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying that you have a current, compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more.
Former Peace Corps Volunteers
Under this authority, a former Peace Corps volunteer who recently completed his/her volunteer service may be appointed without competition to a permanent position in the Federal competitive service.
To be eligible for appointment under this authority, you must have satisfactorily completed your volunteer service in the Peace Corps within the past year.
To claim eligibility, you must provide a letter from the Peace Corps indicating the beginning and end dates of your volunteer service, and certifying that you served satisfactorily.
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Former Peace Corps Employees
Under this authority, a former Peace Corps employee (other than a volunteer) who recently completed at least 36 months of continuous service with the Peace Corps may be appointed without competition to a permanent appointment in the Federal competitive service.
To be eligible for appointment under this authority, you must have satisfactorily completed no less than 36 months of continuous service in the Peace Corps within the past three years.
To claim eligibility, you must provide a letter from the Peace Corps indicating the beginning and end dates of your service as an employee of the Peace Corps, and certifying that you served satisfactorily.
Military Spouses
Under this authority, certain military spouses may be appointed without competition to a permanent appointment in the Federal competitive service.
To be eligible for appointment under this authority, you be the spouse of one of the following:
- Active Duty Armed Forces. A member of the armed forces who is currently serving on active duty for more than 180 consecutive days, has been issued orders for a permanent change of station (PCS), and is authorized for dependent travel. To be eligible, you must be married to the armed forces member on or prior to the date of the PCS orders, and must have relocated with the armed forces member to the new duty station specified in the PCS orders. Eligibility is limited to the local commuting area of the duty station specified in the PCS orders, and for a maximum of two years following the date of such orders.
You must submit the following documentation to demonstrate eligibility under this provision:- A copy of the armed forces member's active duty PCS orders, which must include a statement authorizing the service member's spouse to accompany the service member to the new duty station, the specific location to which the service member is being assigned, and the effective date of the permanent change of station; and
- Documentation verifying marriage to the armed forces member (i.e., marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage).
- Retired with 100% Disability. A member of the armed forces with a service-connected disability rating of 100 percent. To be eligible, you must be the un-remarried widow or widower of the armed forces member who was killed on active duty.
You must submit the following documentation to demonstrate eligibility under this provision:- Documentation showing that the member of the armed forces was released or discharged from active duty due to a service-connected disability;
- Documentation showing that the member of the armed forces retired or was released or discharged from activity duty with a disability rating of 100%; and
- Documentation verifying marriage to the armed forces member (i.e., marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage).
- Killed During Active Duty. A member of the armed forces who was killed while serving on active duty in the armed forces.
You must submit the following documentation to demonstrate eligibility under this provision:- Documentation showing that the armed forces member was released or discharged from active duty due to his or her death while on active duty;
- Documentation verifying that the armed forces member was killed while serving on active duty; and
- Documentation verifying marriage to the armed forces member (i.e., marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage).